Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Alicante Surfer’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Alicante Surfer’, characterized by its uniform, upright, broadly spreading and mounding plant habit; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dense and full plant habit; early, uniform and freely flowering habit; relatively small decorative-type inflorescences with pure white-colored ray florets; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ALICANTE SURFER’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Alicante Surfer’.

The new Chrysanthemum plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Staden-Oostnieuwkerke, Belgium. Theobjective of the breeding program is to create new uniform andfreely-flowering hardy Chrysanthemum plants with attractiveinflorescence form and floret coloration.

The new Chrysanthemum plant originated from a cross- pollination made bythe Inventor in Staden-Oostnieuwkerke, Belgium in October, 2008, ofChrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Pianello’, not patented, as the female, orseed parent with Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Tiana’, not patented, as themale, or pollen, parent. The new Chrysanthemum plant was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a flowering plant from within the progeny ofthe stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment inStaden-Oostnieuwkerke, Belgium in October, 2009.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum plant by vegetativecuttings was first conducted in a controlled greenhouse environment inStaden-Oostnieuwkerke, Belgium in January, 2010. Asexual reproduction bycuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemumplant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions and cultural conditions. The phenotypemay vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such astemperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, anyvariance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Alicante Surfer’. Thesecharacteristics in combination distinguish ‘Alicante Surfer’ as a newand distinct Chrysanthemum plant:

-   -   1. Uniform, upright, broadly spreading and mounding plant habit;        moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and full plant habit.    -   3. Early, uniform and freely flowering habit.    -   4. Relatively small decorative-type inflorescences with pure        white-colored ray florets.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from the female parent,‘Pianello’, in response time. Under natural season conditions inBelgium, plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower about September 10^(th)whereas plants of ‘Pianello’ flower about October 15^(th).

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum also differ from the male parent,‘Tiana’, in response time. Under natural season conditions in Belgium,plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower about September 10^(th) whereasplants of ‘Tiana’ flower about October 15^(th). Additionally, plants ofthe new Chrysanthemum and ‘Tiana’ differ in ray floret color as plantsof ‘Tiana’ have mauve-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants ofChrysanthemum×morifolium ‘White Sea Surfer’, not patented. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted under natural season conditions inStaden-Oostnieuwkerke, Belgium, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differedfrom plants of ‘White Sea Surfer’ in response time as plants of the newChrysanthemum flowered about September 10^(th) whereas plants of ‘WhiteSea Surfer’ flowered about October 15^(th). Additionally, plants of thenew Chrysanthemum and ‘White Sea Surfer’ differed in ray floret color asplants of ‘White Sea Surfer’ had creamy white-colored ray florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Chrysanthemum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Chrysanthemum plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Alicante Surfer’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet are close-up views of the upper andlower surfaces of typical inflorescences (left) and upper and lowersurfaces of typical leaves (right) of ‘Alicante Surfer’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown during the summer and autumn in 17-cmcontainers in an outdoor nursery in Staden-Oostnieuwkerke, Belgium andunder conditions and cultural practices typical of commercialChrysanthemum production. During the production of the plants, daytemperatures ranged from 10° C. to 25° C. and night temperatures rangedfrom 5° C. to 15° C. Plants were 5.5 months old when the photographs anddescription were taken. In the following description, color referencesare made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Alicante    Surfer’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Chrysanthemum×morifolium            ‘Pianello’, not patented.        -   Male or pollen parent.—Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Tiana’, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 14 days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 20 days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 30 days            at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 40 days            at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; light brown in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Perennial Chrysanthemum plant with            decorative type inflorescences; stems upright and broadly            spreading giving a uniformly mounding appearance to the            plant; very freely branching habit with about 150 lateral            branches developing per plant; pinching enhances lateral            branch development; dense and full plant habit; moderately            vigorous to vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 38.7 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 58.8 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 15.4 cm. Diameter: About            3 mm. Internode length: About 1.4 cm. Strength: Strong.            Aspect: Lateral branches positioned about 60° from the main            stem. Texture: Densely pubescent; longitudinally ridged.            Color: Close to 144A.        -   Leaves.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length: About            4.7 cm. Width: About 3.1 cm. Shape: Broadly ovate; three to            five-lobed. Apex: Abruptly acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin:            Palmately lobed and coarsely dentate, sinuses slightly            convergent to parallel. Texture, upper surface: Moderately            pubescent. Texture, lower surface: Densely pubescent.            Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing leaves, upper            surface: Close to N137A. Developing leaves, lower surface:            Close to 147B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close            to N137A to N137B; venation, close to 144A. Fully expanded            leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to            146A to 146B. Petioles: Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About            1 mm by 2 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Densely            pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to 146B. Color, lower            surface: Close to 146A to 146B.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Form and arrangement.—Decorative inflorescence form;            relatively small inflorescences borne on terminals above            foliar plane; disc and ray florets arranged acropetally on a            capitulum.        -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant, pungent.        -   Flowering response.—Under natural season conditions, plants            begin flowering about September 10^(th) in Belgium.        -   Postproduction longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good color            and substance for about three weeks in an outdoor nursery;            inflorescences not persistent.        -   Quantity of inflorescences.—About eleven inflorescences            develop per lateral branch; about 1,500 inflorescences            develop per plant.        -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 4 mm. Diameter: About            5.5 mm. Shape: Flattened globular. Color: Close to 138A;            margins of phyllaries, close to 138D.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 3.2 cm.        -   Inflorescence depth (height).—About 1.5 cm.        -   Disc diameter.—About 2 mm.        -   Receptacle diameter.—About 3 mm.        -   Receptacle height.—About 3 mm.        -   Receptacle color.—Close to 146C to 146D.        -   Ray florets.—Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About            150 arranged in about nine whorls. Length: About 1.4 cm.            Width: About 4 mm. Shape: Narrowly ovate to narrowly oblong.            Apex: Obtuse. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Aspect: About            50° from vertical. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous;            velvety; very slightly longitudinally ridged. Texture, lower            surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly velvety; slightly            longitudinally ridged. Color: When opening, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to NN155A; towards the base, close to 144A.            Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to NN155A;            color does not change with development.        -   Disc florets.—Number of disc florets per inflorescence:            About two at the center of the inflorescence. Length: About            5 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Shape: Lower 75% fused into a            tube; free apices are acute. Texture, inner and outer            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Towards the apex, close            to 7C; mid-section, close to 150D; and towards the base,            close to 145B to 145C.        -   Phyllaries.—Number of phyllaries per inflorescence: About 20            arranged in about two whorls. Length: About 5.5 mm. Width:            About 2 mm. Shape: Oblong to ovate. Apex: Bluntly acute.            Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface:            Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Pubescent. Color,            upper surface: Close to 143A; margins, close to N199A to            N199B. Color, lower surface: Close to 137A to 137B; margins,            close to N199A to N199B.        -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 9.1 cm. Length,            fourth peduncle: About 8.7 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.            Aspect: Erect to about 30° from vertical. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Densely pubescent. Color: Close to 138B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present only on disc            florets. Number of stamens per floret: Five. Filament            length: About 1 mm. Filament color: Close to 150D. Anther            length: About 1.2 mm. Anther shape: Narrowly oblong. Anther            color: Close to 154D. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color:            Close to 13A. Gynoecium: Present on ray and disc florets.            Number of pistils per floret: One. Pistil length: About            4 mm. Style length: About 3 mm. Style color: Close to 150D.            Stigma shape: Cleft, decurrent. Stigma color: Close to 11A.            Ovary color: Close to 145B.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Chrysanthemum.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Chrysanthemum plants grown under commercial conditions.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have good garden    performance, are hardy to USDA Hardiness Zones 7 to 8 and tolerate    high temperatures of about 35° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named ‘AlicanteSurfer’ as illustrated and described.